The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 593 - 592: The Cost of Breach

Chapter 593: Chapter 592: The Cost of Breach

"Mr. Zhou, according to the original investment agreement..."

"Lawyer Bai, hold on a moment."

Before Bai Chuan could even complete his sentence, he was interrupted by Zhou Shuhuan.

"Brother Yang, I had no prior knowledge of this matter. I’m here to tell you and your wife that I, Zhou Shuhuan, will not engage in bridge-burning after crossing. Regardless of how much the electronics factory makes in the future, the share that belongs to you and your wife, I will not dispute."

Upon hearing this, Shen Baolan immediately became agitated, "Shuhuan, didn’t we agree on this when we came here?"

Having said that, she quickly turned to Pei Yang, "We’ll just do as we previously agreed. We’ll return the forty thousand to you, and you give back the shares of the electronics factory."

Pei Yang hadn’t even spoken when Bai Chuan laughed first.

In his time in this industry, he had seen many odd and bizarre cases, but someone as foolish and brainless as Shen Baolan was indeed a rarity.

"Ma’am, my client’s investment in Changhong Electronics Factory is fully documented and legal, protected by law, and can’t be dismissed just because you say so. If you persist in denying my client’s rights, then my client will have no choice but to resort to legal means to protect their interests."

"Shut up, it’s none of your business!"

Despite holding a junior high school diploma, Shen Baolan was utterly ignorant of the law.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have naively thought that by returning the forty thousand yuan to Pei Yang, the investment matter could simply be forgotten.

Bai Chuan was adept at dealing with unreasonable and brash women like Shen Baolan.

"On behalf of my client, I will state our conditions for withdrawing the investment. First, we will hire a professional team to value the electronics factory and transfer the shares based on the valuation. Second, as you breached the contract first, according to the agreement, your side needs to compensate 20% of the contract value as a penalty."

Shen Baolan was confused, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"For example, if the electronics factory is valued at two million, to reclaim the 20% of the shares in my client’s hands, you would need to pay four hundred thousand, and on top of that, an additional four hundred thousand as a contractual penalty, totaling eight hundred thousand."

"Of course, this is just an example. The actual market value of the factory will be assessed by a professional team."

Shen Baolan nearly jumped up, "Bullshit, eight hundred thousand, why don’t you go rob a bank?"

Bai Chuan, unfazed, took out a handkerchief, wiped the spittle from his face, and corrected, "Eight hundred thousand is just a figure of speech. In my experience, the actual valuation of the electronics factory will surpass two million."

Though foolish, Shen Baolan could still do the math.

"Pei Yang, you’re breaking your word..."

"Mingzhu merely agreed to withdraw the shares, and I have no objections to that, as long as everything is conducted in accordance with the contract."

Unable to contain her anger, Shen Baolan turned to Zhou Shuhuan for help.

"Say something, they’re shitting on your neck, and you’re just taking it silently? Are you even a man?"

Zhou Shuhuan stood up and, with a swing of his arm, slapped Shen Baolan across her face.

Caught off guard, Shen Baolan stumbled and fell onto the sofa.

She covered her face, looking at Zhou Shuhuan with a mix of shame and fear.

"I apologize, Brother Yang, for adding trouble to you and your wife. If it wasn’t for your help at the start, the electronics factory couldn’t have been established. I, Zhou Shuhuan, will not engage in bridge-burning."

Pei Yang smiled and patted his shoulder, "It’s alright. After so many years of brotherhood, do you think I wouldn’t trust you?"

Zhou Shuhuan nodded, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then pulled Shen Baolan, ready to leave, but was stopped by Shen Mingzhu, who was watching the scene from the kitchen doorway.

"If you decide not to buy back the shares, please settle Lawyer Bai’s service fee. It’s the New Year, and it wouldn’t be right to let him come all this way for nothing."

Shen Baolan wanted to argue that whoever hired the lawyer should pay, but worried about irritating Zhou Shuhuan and receiving another slap, she resorted to glaring daggers at Shen Mingzhu.

Zhou Shuhuan, on the other hand, was straightforward, taking out his wallet, "How much?"

Just as Bai Chuan was about to speak, Shen Mingzhu crisply stated, "One thousand."

Zhou Shuhuan was taken aback.

Unable to hold back, Shen Baolan stamped her foot, "Are you trying to scam us? He hardly said anything, why should you get one thousand?"

Shen Mingzhu glanced at her watch, "Lawyer Bai spent four hours from the moment he left home until now, including the time to go back. Based on his hourly rate, the fee should be two hundred."

"But today is New Year’s Eve. He could have been at home with his family and children, celebrating the holiday comfortably, but instead, he came out in the cold to work overtime for you. It’s not unreasonable to charge a little overtime fee, right?"

Zhou Shuhuan counted out one thousand from his wallet and handed it to Bai Chuan.

Bai Chuan accepted the money with a beaming smile.

For such high cost-effectiveness in overtime, he could work until the end of the world.

Shen Baolan glared at the thousand yuan in Bai Chuan’s hand, her anger shooting up to the top of her head.

"Shen Mingzhu, have you no shame? My Shuhuan has slaved away helping you and your husband make money, and you conspire with outsiders to cheat him of his money; have you no conscience at all?"

Shen Mingzhu scoffed coldly, "I’ll return those words to you exactly as you said them, Shen Baolan. Let’s get this straight; it was your husband who came knocking to borrow money. Now that he’s turned the tables, he wants to deny it. Do you think the world revolves around you, that you should reap all the benefits?"

"If Zhou Shuhuan really were so heartless and ungrateful, do you think you, his foolish wife who married him halfway through his life, would end up any better? Believe it or not, he’ll kick you to the curb the moment he turns around and remarry someone younger and prettier."

These words not only insulted the couple but struck at the core of their relationship.

If you, Zhou Shuhuan, don’t want to be called heartless and ungrateful, then behave and follow the agreement from now on.

As for Shen Baolan, if your man can betray a brother of thirty years, do you really think he’d cherish old times with his wife?

The sarcasm from Shen Mingzhu hit Zhou Shuhuan like a resounding slap in the face.

He lamely said to Pei Yang, "Brother Yang, I’ll head back first. We’ll catch up another day when I’m free," and then turned around and left.

"You’re spouting nonsense, my Shuhuan is not that kind of person!"

Unwilling to concede, Shen Baolan yelled back at Shen Mingzhu and followed Zhou Shuhuan out.

Seeing things settled down, Bai Chuan also left with a joyful farewell.

With both children upstairs, Shen Mingzhu and Pei Yang sat facing each other in the living room in silence.

Zhou Shuhuan kept promising he wouldn’t betray us, but if he truly had no such intentions, he wouldn’t have shown up.

Allowing Shen Baolan to make a scene might have been a test.

In the face of interests, even blood brothers can become enemies, let alone two people who aren’t actually related.

After a while, Shen Mingzhu reached out and held the man’s large hand.

"Stop thinking about it. Let’s be happy for the New Year. Let everything else slide, and we can talk about it after the festivities."

"Okay."

"Smile for me."

Pei Yang gave a forced smile, uglier than a cry.

Shen Mingzhu, dissatisfied, raised her hand, pinching the corners of the man’s mouth upwards, "Smile like this."

"I need a kiss to smile properly."

"And if you were given a choice again, would you still invest in Zhou Shuhuan?"

Pei Yang, dissatisfied, replied, "You just said we’d talk after New Year’s, and now you bring it up again."

"Oh, don’t you know that women are fickle?"

Pei Yang pulled her into his embrace, his arms encircling her waist, "Other things can change, but your love for me cannot. It must never change."

Shen Mingzhu huffed, "Who loves you?"

"You love me, you know how to cheer me up when I’m down; that’s love!"

Shen Mingzhu threw back a sentence, "I can’t be bothered to cheer you up," and headed to the kitchen.

Pei Yang followed her with a laugh, tugging at her sleeve, persistently asking, "Tell me, do you love me or not?"

"No."

"I don’t believe it."

"Believe it or not."

"Women always say the opposite of what they feel; saying you don’t love me means you do. I understand."

His face was brimming with a smile and a sense of ease, completely free of the earlier distress.

...

In the car.

"Shuhuan, you have to think of something. Are we really going to let them have the money for nothing?"

The slap still reverberated with Shen Baolan, making her tone and demeanor extra cautious, coupled with a face full of unwillingness.